by JeffWich » 12/11/2005, 8:04 pm
Well I didn't go to Detroit, but I went to Atlanta's 99x Mistle Toe Jam, and (I posted this in my "Meeting Them for the First Time" (as you will see I didn't get to) thread. I imagine that all three of these radio shows were probably equally disappointing, and I'm sure the band didn't even really want to do them beforehand (and I'm sure they were just as disappointed afterwards) but hey... sometimes you gotta do shit you don't wanna do I guess...
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Well, since my friend who was coming with didn't get out of his test until 6:30, we weren't able to make it to the venue until about 45 minutes prior to when Our Lady Peace was to hit the stage (and finish up the 4-band concert.) We parked behind the venue and while walking around to the front I saw the tour buses and could see Raine inside kinda chilling on one of the couches or whatever (back against the window.) I am a local musician and I know that when it gets close to go time you need your time and space to do whatever it is you do to prepare... anyways
if you have never been to the Tabernacle, I highly reccomend it because it is an incredible venue. It's like no other place I've ever been to in that it's a concert/hang out type place with 3 floors and multiple bars, an awesome place to see your favorite band...
only this time was pretty disappointing...
keep in mind I saw Our Lady Peace on a non-sponsored tour in Atlanta @ The Roxy on Oct. 13th and it was one of those shows everyone speaks about where you could juse feel the energy and look at people and see them feeling it too... but you couldn't describe exactly how it felt or what was making it happen- it was honestly the best concert I went to.
Our Lady Peace's performance at the Tabernacle was part of 99x's (big radio station in Atlanta) Mistle Toe Jam (an annual event.) Tickets were $30 + about a $12 TicketBastard charge. (The roxy was $13 I think) Even before I bought the tickets I had this uneasiness in me that since this was a radio event with multiple promotors (Xbox 360 was there among a lot of other big names) I had it feeling it might be one of those "play for the camera" type shows...
It's not the band's fault whatsoever. The fact of the matter was, there were a lot of people there to either see other bands, or who just came because it was a big radio event (even tho OLP was headlining.) The only play for a little over an hour, and when 90% of the crowd remained cheering loud as hell for an encore, the lights came back on and the security made everyone leave... I found out later that 99X pre-determined that they would wrap everything up by 12:00am $43 to see a little over an hour of music. I think the band was a little down by this aspect because they just didn't seem as pumped as they did last time. I hope they don't hold it against the fans of Atlanta.
At one point Raine asked everyone (Wipe that Smile) during the bridge if they knew the words, and repeatedly asked as if he was getting no response from the crowd. There was another point where there was a girl on the 2nd level going all crazy and he pointed to her and said "I love this girl, do you wanna come on stage?" and so she went down and security let her on stage. She hugged Raine and he had his arm around her and was singing, put the mic near her to sing with him, and all the sudden she grabbed her mouth like she was about to puke and ran off stage. I hope she got sick out of shock or whatever and not just being sloshed... but Raine seemed kinda dissappointed and I think it might have been because he thought she was all crazy fan-like and realized she was just tanked. The show was pretty good. The performance was awesome and everything, but that energy I got from the last show wasn't there, and like I said, they only had time to play about 5 of their radio hits and 4 or 5 songs off of the new album... for fucking $43
Anyways as for meeting them... didn't happen. I went back to the buses and saw Raine talking to some people. I got in line, showed my friend how to use my camera phone, and told him not to laugh at anything I said to Raine because it was gona be kinda serious. Anyways, the girl in front of me spoke to him for like 10 fucking minutes, I didn't evesdrop but at some point she was trying to get him to contact her later somehow and (im sure out of politeness) he asked for a business card or something, she gave him a piece of paper and was writing her number down, he kept trying to end the convo and at one point I got a "this girl..." look from him, but someone from management or something came up and pulled him away (probably to go to radio promo bullshit.) It really sucks and I wanted to slap the girl because I wanted 2 freaking minutes to tell him thank you and quickly explain how much their music has influenced my life, and to assure them of the power they have as inspiration for so many people. And this star-struck please fuck me here's my number bitch had to ruin it.
I was kind of disappointed, not at Raine or the band or anything, but because I knew I shouldn't have even gone. I had a feeling it wouldn't even compare to the last show, and that this one might kind of leave a bad taste in my mouth that would take away from my experience in October. FUCK 99X I don't blame OLP for taking their offer, because I mean they need all the exposure they can get down here, but FUCK 99x.
$43... I could have driven up north for about that.